Honda celebrate 300 premier class wins in Grand Prix Motorcycling Racing

Marquez makes it a magic 300 for Honda

A cold French Grand Prix saw Marc Marquez take a faultless victory to extend his lead in the MotoGP World Championship. The win is Honda’s 300^thvictory in the premier class, the first manufacturer to achieve such success in the premier class.

MotoGP Rnd LeMans Marquez Flag — Marquez dominated the #FrenchGP

The closest rival to Honda in the premier class of Grand Prix racing is Yamaha with 227 wins, followed by MV Agusta (139), Suzuki (92) and Ducati (47).

Jim Redman and the Honda RC181 achieved Honda’s first win in the premier class back in 1966 at Hockenheim with Mike Hailwood becoming the second winner a few races later in Brno.

Freddie Spencer returned Honda to the top step of the podium in the 500cc class in 1982 at Spa-Franchoramps on the NS500.

MotoGP Freddie Spencer — Freddie Spencer

Takazumi Katayama would become the first Japanese rider to win in the 500cc class for Honda the same year.

1984 marked the debut of the NSR500 – the legendary 500cc machine taking a total of 132 wins and saw the likes of Mick Doohan, Wayne Gardner, Alex Criville and Eddie Lawson claim the premier class title and seven Constructors World Championships.

The debut of the four-stroke era saw Honda achieve immediate success with the RC211V, winning the first race at the 2002 Japanese GP.

MotoGP 500cc World Championship 2001 - Round One - Suzuka - Valentino Rossi — MotoGP 500cc World Championship 2001 – Round One – Suzuka – Honda NSR500 – Valentino Rossi

The RC211V, RC212V and RC213V have seen Honda take 144 wins in the four-stroke era, including Marquez’s win at the French GP.

Jorge Lorenzo chases Casey Stoner at Jerez in 2012

Mick Doohan is the most successful Honda rider in the premier class of Grand Prix racing with 54 wins, ahead of Marc Marquez with 47 wins. Valentino Rossi is third with 33 victories, ahead of Dani Pedrosa with 31 and Freddie Spencer with 20.

Dani Pedrosa MotoGP Donington Win — Dani Pedrosa – Donington 2006

Freddie Spencer, Randy Mamola, Max Biaggi, Alex Barros, Valentino Rossi, Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner have won with at least two different Honda bikes in the premier class. Among them, Pedrosa is the only rider who has won with three different bikes in
the class.

Mick’s Honda NSR500 undergoing work in the pits — Mick Doohan’s Honda NSR500 undergoing work in the pits at Eastern Creek in 1991 – Image by Phil Aynsley

The list of wins by Honda bikes in the premier class is as follows: NSR500 (132 wins), RC213V (71), RC211V (48), RC212V (24), NS500 (14), RC181 (10).

Marc Marquez NSR — Marc Marquez admires Doohan’s championship winning NSR500


Total Premier Class Grand Prix Wins on Honda		Total
Total Premier Class Grand Prix Wins on Honda		300
Pos	Rider	Rider Wins
1	Mick Doohan	54
2	Marc Marquez	47
3	Valentino Rossi	33
4	Dani Pedrosa	31
5	Freddie Spencer	20
6	Wayne Gardner	18
7	Alex Criville	15
8	Casey Stoner	15
9	Mike Hailwood	8
10	Sete Gibernau	8
11	Alex Barros	6
13	Max Biaggi	5
14	Marco Melandri	5
15	Randy Mamola	4
16	Eddie Lawson	4
17	Tadayuki Okada	4
18	Nicky Hayden	3
19	Cal Crutchlow	3
20	im Redman	2
21	Luca Cadalora	2
22	Carlos Checa	2
23	Makoto Tamada	2
24	Takazumi Katayama	1
25	Pierfrancesco Chili	1
26	Daryl Beattie	1
27	Alberto Puig	1
28	Loris Capirossi	1
29	Tohru Ukawa	1
30	Toni Elias	1
31	Andrea Dovizioso	1
32	Jack Miller	1